Sunday, July 01, 2007

Fans of other American Idols have worked hard to perpetuate the myth that Clay's CD sales are not legitimate because some of them buy more than one CD. No fanbase is more eager to promote this myth than the Kelly Clarkson fans.

The truth is that all of the fans of all artists buy CDs for friends, family and as gifts. Some of them send CDs to the troops, some have sent CDs to a Children's Hospital

[which was crazy considering the Breakaway CD was all bitter break up songs which are not good choices for little kids or for soldiers far from girlfriends, wives and families, but there you go]

The most recent multiple CD buying can be seen at Kelly Clarkson Express. Viewing this thread which is typical for all fanbases will show that it is not does not have as big an impact on total CD sales as some would like to think. The thread is a running record of the Kelly Clarkson fans keeping count of the sales tally since 12:01 AM June 26th, CD release day, to present. The count is not much over 1100 CDs, even with some individuals reportedly buying a lot of CDs. Express Official CD Counts

There was a discussion at a music board among American Idol fans a few months ago. Note the perpetuation of the myth and then realize the truth that it makes very little difference in the big picture.

Check out these comments from the aforementioned discussion:

Kelly Fan at Music Board

It bugs the crap out of me and IMO AI is where this seems to have started or perhaps I just never noticed it before AI I'm not sure. I've never purchased more than one or two copies of a CD for myself of any given artist and even when I crack or somehow manage to destroy said CD I'm reluctant to replace it cuz I feel it's kind of a waste of money.

Same fan wasting money on buying more than one:

Property of Kelly Clarkson

Express Official CD Counts

2 hard copies (one for me and one for a co-worker who gave me the money to pick it up for her) and 1 @ itunes for the bonus tracks.

220 = 3 = 223

Same fan upset by the public thread:

Property of Kelly Clarkson

Express Official CD Counts

I just mean some of us are always talking about the multiple buying strategies employed by another fanbase and I'd just hate to see us turn into hypocrites who did the same thing just cuz we're worried for Kelly's success on this album.

They are worried and very competetive but no big deal, right? It isn't and shouldn't be, but they are quick to point fingers at the Clay fans when it isn't at all unusual and they did it first of the Idol fanbases and are still doing it today.

I think everyone just thought Taylor would do more cuz they bought into the "The Soul Patrol is just like the Claymates" and they thought they would multi-buy him to huge, huge numbers?

I'm not saying that I believe the Claymates multi-bought for the sake of getting Clay a #1 - I'm just stating what is commonly believed and what people are implying when they apply the lable "Mate" to another fanbase.

Yeah, it's a ridiculous stereotype and rationalization, and it's been pretty much debunked now. ( DO THE MATH, folks!). ::) Taylor's fans may be just as organized as the "Claymates," but I don't think any organized fan base multiple-copy-buying campaign has ever accounted for more than 100-200k in the debut week or more than about 500k in over-all sales. If that. And I can't see Taylor's case being the exception.

That is way overestimated. After researching this topic it amounts to a few thousand CDs at most.

I'm not much of an Idol watcher but Ive heard the stories about the Claymates buying lots of extra albums to push Clay up the charts. I've never heard that about anyone else so I guess it's why I'm not impressed by anything Clay has done. I don't think I've ever heard him on the radio at all. I haven't heard about Taylors fans doing it but if they do it must mean they're worried he won't sell enough to top the chart like the Claymates. That's just not cool.

Did you hear it from Kelly Clarkson fans? I suppose they forgot to mention starting that particular trend by buying multiple copies of Thankful and unloading them on unsuspecting troops? ::)

“Operation Thankful” is a program designed to raise funds for the purchase of Kelly’s #1 selling debut CD, to be donated to our Military Troops....Regardless of their location, the donations from “Operation Thankful” will be used to purchase copies of the Thankful CD, and with the assistance of the U.S.O. delivered to the troops wherever they may be located along with heartfelt “thanks” for their efforts and service to the country.

To the topic of fanbases buying multiple copies of a CD from their favorite artists. I don't think that it is uncommon, however, I was curious about Taylor and checked out his AI board and graycharles and I have to say that several people were buying 10+ copies of the CD. As much as I'm a Rob Thomas fan, I only bought three copies of his CD...one for the home, one for the car and one for my sister. I can't imagine spending $100 plus on anyone's album. Nuts if you ask me.

I agree that it's nuts. I also agree that it doesn't have much impact. You say that you saw several people buying 10+ copies of Taylor's CD. For the sake of discussion, let's say that 50 people bought 25 CDs each. (I seriously doubt that it was that many.) That's only 1,250 CDs. It is a drop in the bucket of the total number of CDs sold.

Interesting poll on graycharles.com. How many albums did you purchase? Of course, this is a site for diehard fans so they will be much more likely to buy multiple copies. Looks like there is yet another plea to buy the album. I find this tactic by any "real" artist to be cheap.

The one thing in there [promotional e-mail from RCA to encourage fans to buy Taylor's CD] that made me roll my eyes was when they said to stuff friends and families with Taylor's album.

What about the troops? No Operation Taylor Hicks? No phony press releases disguising multiple purchases as helping out the military?

I'm disappointed. :(

You might check with the Daughtry's fans - they started this CD troop sending stunt when his CD was released.

No. The Kelly Clarkson fans started it with her debut CD.

Yeah it is called Operation Outlast and Outsell. There main goal is to buy as many copies as possible so he will outsell all other idols from this year. It is pretty funny, but I doubt it makes that much of a difference. He seems to be doing fine.

The most famous case of multiple buying is credited to NSync fans who reportedly used their parents credit cards to buy enormous numbers of CDs each. The opening week sales was in the millions but the parents cracked down on the plan and by the second week the CD returns were astronomical. This incident led to the RIAA changing the certification requirements that at least 30 days must pass from release before certification can be awarded.

So there you go. If I wasn't so lazy I could quote this same kind of discussion and link to CD buying threads on all Idol groups but I don't want to bother. I think I made my point.

6 comments:

HI THERE! This was linked from a Kelly fan ( MAJOR KEZBO)at sucks to show how claymates are crazy. I am NOT a poster at sucks but I do lurk there. And I want to say THANK YOU you this blogger for pointing out the KELLY FANS HYPOCRACY! I was a member of 3 different Idol's message boards, (Now I am no longer a Kelly fan and I will never post on her fans boards again. They beat me up so badly ( figuratively speaking) because I LOVE CLAY and another Idol they aren't too fond of), of all 3 idols, her fans are the meanest, most unaccepting bunch and yes their guilty of multiple CD buying, they try to downplay it or HIDE it, like they do thier Clay bashing threads by using "Kelly" titles and they do have members using hate tactics to bash other idols. I was there too.

TO any Kelly fans reading this. In an all important time when Kelly is falling off the pedestal you all have her on (something you accuse others of doing but you all are worse now than any other fanbase) She could have used a few more sales....I did not buy her album, will not buy her album and that , which may have helped her get to # 1 or even help her maintain sales and It's because the fans ( especially at KCE) have turned me off towards Kelly, He CD may have benn listenable to me if it didn't remind me of the piece of shit fans Kelly has. Choke on your own stupidity and Kelly can thank YOU assholes for one less fan.(like the one that felt it necessary to post ahead of me )